Officer strikes deer
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — A local police officer responding to a car-deer accident was delayed when he himself hit a deer en route to investigate.
Officer Brian McQuarrie of the Presque Isle Police Department was assigned a routine call for a vehicle accident on the Parkhurst Siding Road involving a 2009 GMC pick-up truck that had struck a deer. The male driver from Caribou reported he was uninjured. On the way there, McQuarrie also struck a deer as he traveled on the Fort Road. Officer Kevin Reed, PIPD, handled the first call. An injured fawn was subsequently put down. There was no damage to the truck.
McQuarrie’s accident occurred in the vicinity of the ATV trail crossing. The officer saw one deer cross the road and flashed his headlights to warn oncoming motorist. As he was about to meet the other car, a second deer came up out of the ditch and crossed in front of the cruiser. Due to oncoming traffic, he was unable to avoid striking the deer with the right side of the police car.
McQuarrie pulled over and activated his blue lights. He checked the area but the deer was not located. The Dodge cruiser sustained only minimal damage to the side mirror.
